The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Friday, February 25, 2005

February 25, 2005

Top news of the day

June 4th – prisoners – Zhao Ziyang
Lawyer quit in the midst of stiff pressures over Lin Mu’s lawsuit against police’s illegal detention
前胡耀邦秘书状告公安遭压顶
Voice of America, February 24, 2005
Gao Zhisheng (高智晟), one of the lawyer of Li Mu (林枚)’s lawsuit against Xian police for illegal detention, decided to withdraw from the case yesterday. Yet, the withdrawal is believed to be related to stiff political pressures from the government and the communist party on the lawsuit. http://www.voanews.com/chinese/2005-02-24-voa60.cfm

Protests and petitions - UN
Activists call on UN to intervene over rights
SCMP, February 25, 2005
106 mainland political activists submitted a petition letter to the UN calling for intervention in China’s human rights issues and the release of several dissidents including Shi Tao (師濤), Ye Guozhu (葉國柱), Zhao Xin (趙昕) and Zhang Lin (張林).
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZCBR9585E.html



News


Education
The development of National School Fees Sponsorship Scheme
国家助学贷款发展脉络
China Youth Daily, February 25, 2005
http://zqb.cyol.com/gb/zqb/2005-02/25/content_1037814.htm

Two fundamental directions for fixing existing education policy
教育政策调整的两个根本方向
Nanfang Weekend, February 24, 2005
http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/zm/20050224/xw/ttzs/2005
02240002.asp


Gender
Chinese woman, 104, can stay
SCMP, February 25, 2005
http://asia.scmp.com/asianews/ZZZBEP9585E.html

June 4th – EU arms ban
EU trade commissioner urges China to provide solid evidence to justify EU’s move to lift arms ban
曼德尔森敦促北京提供能解除武禁的证据
Radio Free Asia, February 25, 2005
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2005/02/24/wuqijinling/

Europe sees ending China arms embargo as way to better ties
International Herald Tribune, February 25, 2005
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/02/24/news/arms.html

China Arms Embargo Not What It Seems
AP via YahooNews.com, February 24, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050224/
ap_on_re_eu/europe_arms_to_china_3


Government – civil service
Bureaucrats lose chance of another pay increase
SCMP, February 25, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZAPEK985E.html

Hukou
3 major shortcomings of China’s hukou systems provokes the needs for new law
我国户籍管理制度存三大弊端 将制定新户籍法
Xinhuanet.com, February 24, 2005
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2005-02/24/content
_2612666.htm





Multilaterals - UN
UN hits out at China's judicial system for political and arbitrary bias
AFP, Feb 25, 2005
The United Nations has urged China to better safeguard constitutionally protected rights and criticised Beijing for arbitrarily jailing those who peacefully voice religious and political views.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/afp/2005
0225/wl_asia_afp/chinaunrights


Protests and petitions
Amendments to Improve Petition System
China Daily, February 24, 2005
Approved by the State Council on January 5, newly revised regulation on citizen petitions, which will take effect on May 1, signals the government's determination to bring the petition system in line with the changing times and create a more harmonious society.
http://service.china.org.cn/link/wcm/Show_Text?info_id=121087
&p_qry=law


Public health – HIV aids
China Must Expand AIDS Fight – UNICEF
Reuters via YahooNew.com, February 25, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050224
/wl_nm/aids_china_unicef_dc_1


Rural issues - migrants
Province Sets up Worker Database
China Daily, February 25. 2005
An information certificate system for rural laborers from northeast Heilongjiang Province is expected to be completed later this year.
http://china.org.cn/english/government/121134.htm

Rural issues - development
Rural Social Security System Vital to Nation's Development
China Daily, February 24, 2005
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has hammered out a plan for establishing a social security system in China's rural areas, according to the 21st Century Business Herald.
http://china.org.cn/english/China/121101.htm

Three Gorges
Chongqing focuses on Three Gorges diaspora
SCMP, February 25, 2005
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ3QEK985E.html